Divisible carton



May 26, 1959 R. GUYER DIVISIBLE CARTON Filed Aug. 12, 1955 l I I l I J-fi '1 I III w \M n I A A A m Mw e w United States Patent DIVISIBLE CARTON Reynolds Guyer, White Bear Lake, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application August 12, 1955, Serial No. 527,896

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) This invention relates to an improvement in divisible cartons and deals particularly with a carton for containing cigarettes or the like.

Cigarettes in packages are usually contained in elongated cartons which support five packages in side by side relation in two layers so that the carton contains ten packages of cigarettes. These cartons are usually arranged so that the cover may be open for display purposes. However, in such packages when more than half of the cigarettes are sold, much of the space is wasted. Furthermore, as most cigarettes are similarly packaged, the distinctiveness of the package is lost.

A feature of the present invention resides in a carton for containing cigarettes which supports five packages in a row With the larger faces of the packages in surface contact. Two such rows are arranged in a carton with the ends of the packages of one row abutting the ends of the packages of the second row. This shape of carton is unique and is economical as it requires less paperboard than must be used to produce an elongated carton.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a carton having a weakened line of separation encircling the carton at the point of abutment of the two rows of packages. When the carton is divided along this center line, two separate packages are produced, each of which contains five packages of cigarettes. As a result considerably less space is required to display the cigarettes and they are supported on end so that they may be easily removed from the carton sections.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a carton having a simple means of dividin the carton into sections. Each of two walls of the carton which are in parallel relation are provided with apertures which extend on both sides of the weakened line of separation. This substantially reduces the length of the weakened lines of separation and divides the line into two parts. By twisting the package slightly it may be readily broken along the line of separation.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the fact that with the normal package arrangement, added revenue stamps may be added to the individual packages without removing them from the carton. By splitting the package along one side and folding the package along the opposite side, the ends of all of the packages are exposed and additional revenue stamps such as those employed by many States may be applied to the package ends without difliculty and without removing the packages. The carton may then be folded back into its original shape and held closed by a short strip of adhesive tape or the like.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the apertures on opposite sides of the carton provide notches in the upper edges of opposite carton walls to simplify the removal of the packages of cigarettes from the carton sections. The notches permit the thumb or fingers to engage at least one wall of each package so that it may be withdrawn from the carton section without difficulty.

Patented May 26, 1959 ice These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sealed carton in condition for shipping or storage;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carton sections after separation and after the cigarette packages have been removed from one section;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tubular carton before the ends are sealed; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the cartons are formed.

The carton forming the present invention is indicated in general by the letter A and is designed to contain cigarette packages B. While the number of such packages may vary, usually each such carton contains ten packages B of cigarettes. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the cigarette packages B are arranged in two rows with the ends of the packages of one row abutting against the ends of the packages of the other row.

The carton is formed as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. As shoum in this figure, the carton A includes a front wall panel 10, a top wall panel 11, a rear wall panel 12 and a bottom wall panel 13. These panels are foldably connected along parallel fold lines 14, 15 and 16. A glue flap 17 is foldably connected to one end panel of a series by a fold line 19 shown connecting the flap 17 to the panel 10. The glue flap 17 is glued in overlapping relation to the marginal edge of the panel 13 to form a tubular carton.

While the various wall panels have been given descriptive names such as a front panel and a top panel, it is obvious that any panel may serve as the top or front panel and the terms are merely to simplify the description.

The various panels are provided with closing flaps hingedly supported at opposite ends thereof. The panels are connected along a line of fold 20 to closing flaps 21, 22, 23 and 24 which are respectively connected to the panels 10, 11, 12 and 13. These panels are also respectively connected to closing flaps 25, 26, 27 and 29 along a line of fold 30 parallel to the fold line 20. The structure thus described comprises a tubular sealed end carton of conventional type. -In the particular arrangement illus trated, the flaps such as 22 and 24 are only one-half of the width of the panels 10 and 12 so that these flaps hinge into edge abutting relation when the carton is closed. This arrangement is provided to form the most economical end closure.

The carton walls 10 and 12 are provided with elongated apertures 31 and 32 extending therethrough and located centrally between the fold lines 20 and 30. These apertures are preferably somewhat oval or diamondshape in form although the specific form is not of utmost importance. A weakened line of separation 33 extends across the carton blank from end to end thereof midway between the fold lines 20 and 30. The apertures 31 and 32 extend on opposite sides of this weakened line 33. Usually the apertures 31 and 32 are widest at the weakened line. The line 33 may be formed by perforations, cut scoring or by other means to define a line along which the carton may be divided.

When the carton has been glued in tubular form, it may be opened into the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The packages B of cigarettes may be inserted while both ends are open as illustrated or after one end of the carton has been sealed. The two ends of the carton are sealed in the conventional manner usually by adhering the outer surfaces of the smaller flaps 21, 23, 25 and 27 to-the inner surfaces of the adjacent longer flaps 22, 24, 26 and 29.

The carton blank shown in Figure 4 is actually about one-sixth smaller in area than a blank for forming an elongated carton of the type normally employed for containing ten packages of cigarettes. Thus the change in shape results in a conservation of paperboard and a corresponding decrease in price due to the fact that the package is squarer than the carton of elongated form.

When the carton has been filled and shipped, it may be opened by a twisting action which tends to separate the paperboard along the weakened line of separation on at least one side of the carton. If the cartons are to be opened for the insertion of State revenue stamps or the like the carton may be separated along the weakened line on one side of the carton as well as along the apertured walls thereof. The two sections may then be hinged apart to expose an end of each package to which the revenue stamps may be affixed. This is of advantage as with most types of package a maximum of one-half the package is exposed at any one time.

The package is normally completely divided in two when placed on display and the packages are held in an upright position in each section when the ends of the carton are rested upon a display surface. As shown in Figure 2, the apertures provide vertical notches in the upper edges of two opposed walls of each carton section so that the packages may be quickly and easily removed for use.

The carton may similarly be opened by breaking apart the paperboard along the weakened lines of separation in one end wall and the two side walls of the carton, and hinging the two halves of the carton along the weakened line of separation in the second end wall. In this case the two carton halves are aligned longitudinally of the carton.

In accordance with the patent statues, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my divisible carton, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A cigarette package comprising a container for individual packages of cigarettes arranged in pairs and with the packages of each pair in end abutting relation and with the wider sides of the packages in face contacting relation, the container comprising a series of four wall panels hingedly connected to form a tubular body having end closures, half of the individual packages arranged in side contacting relation and abutting against one end closure, and the other half of the individual packages abutting the other end closure, a weakened line of separation extending across at least three sides of said tubular body in substantial registry with ends of the individual packages of one pair which abut the end of the packages of the other pair, two opposed of said wall panels across which the weakened lines of separation extend having apertures therethrough intersecting the weakened lines of separation, said apertures extending on opposite sides of the weakened line of separation.

2. The construction of claim 1 and in which the apertures are defined by cut lines converging toward the weakened lines of separation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 577,055 Mooers Feb. 16, 1897 2,081,574 Bueschel May 25, 1937 2,081,656 Anthony May 25, 1937 2,157,954 Gould May 9, 1939 2,242,711 Oliver May 20, 1941 2,729,326 Stadnyk Jan. 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 162,088 Germany July 20, 1905 

